What If
by fatmathewriter
Summary: All was well. Lily and James Potter had 2 children. Harry and Agnes Potter loved each other. The family was happy. There were bedtime stories, birthday parties, Christmas get-togethers. Lupin and Sirius were frequent guests. Even Snape popped in sometimes. All was well. But not for Neville Longbottom. For the scar now belongs to him.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

NEVILLE

Screaming. Crying. Terrible sounds of fear. A woman said repeatedly, "It's okay, Neville. Mommy's got you". A shadow entered the room. The woman screamed, "Leave him alone. Please. Take me. Leave Neville." A flash of light. The woman falls. Tears. A baby sobbing. Another flash of light.

Neville Longbottom wakes up in a pool of his own sweat. It takes a while, but he eventually realizes it was a nightmare. _The same one_.

His grief, however, vanishes once he realizes what day it is. It is the 1st of September. "Hogwarts!" Neville squeals with excitement.

An hour later, he is sitting at the breakfast table feeling queasy with excitement and nervousness, as his grandmother happily chatters away.

He remembers how Mrs. Longbottom almost fainted with delight when he received his Hogwarts letter. She had spent 10 years of her life, praying fervently that her grandson was not a squib.

"Come on now, Neville! Eat up, quickly. You don't want to miss the train do you?"

Neville eats the remaining sausages and goes to carry his trunk to their Muggle car. Thankfully, Trevor, his toad, is still sleeping in his first drawer. Neville puts him in his pocket and they set off for King's Cross Station.

HARRY

"Harry, Harry, Hogwarts!" his younger sister Agnes shouted. Immediately, his eyes opened and he was ready for the day. He rushed to get dressed.

An hour later, at the breakfast table, he was devouring his mother's famous chocolate-chip pancakes while discussing the teachers at Hogwarts.

"So, would Mr. Filch hate me if I kidnap Mrs. Norris?" Harry asked his father.

"_If_ you can kidnap her. That cat is an immortal beast, that one", James chuckled.

"Less talking, more eating boys", Lily scolded. "Merlin's pants, look at the time. Get up all of you. James get Harry's trunk. Harry, where's your wand? And don't forget Hedwig. Agnes dear, go sit in the car. Don't forget, we're meeting Sirius at the station."

Soon they were on their way to King's Cross Station.


	2. Chapter 2- King's Cross

Chapter 2

HARRY

"Ah! There you are! I was starting to think you bailed!" joked Sirius, as he saw the Potters enter through the wall.

"No way, Uncle Sirius! It's Hogwarts. Even Voldemort can't stop me from going there!" Harry said, looking quite exhilarated from his entrance.

"Well, he isn't even capable of after that incident with the Longbottoms." James said, putting Harry's luggage on the train.

"Oh, that was terribly unfortunate! I do feel sorry for Mrs. Longbottom and her grandson, Neville." her voice full of pity.

Harry tried to imagine what his life would be like, had his parents died. He could not. He decided life without parents is impossible.

"Say!" Sirius exclaimed, bringing Harry back to Earth "isn't Neville supposed to join Hogwarts this-"

"Oh! Your conversations are going to make us late! Climb aboard Harry." Lily said, giving Harry a kiss on the forehead. Harry hugged Agnes promising to send her a souvenir and turned to embrace his father and uncle.

The train whistled, signaling it was time to leave. "Send us McGonagall's glasses, they're SO in fashion", joked Sirius as James guffawed. Harry grinned and climbed on. He waved until he could see the entourage anymore.

He then turned to find a seat.

NEVILLE

Neville sat in an empty compartment staring out the window. He was remembering the farewell that took place just moments before.

After running through the wall, they (him and his gran) loaded his luggage onto the train. His grandmother was barking orders, warnings and advice, which he tuned out because he was missing his parents.

Not having known his parents for long, these moments were rare. But now, as he saw all the mothers kissing their children goodbye, he couldn't help but wish that his parents were alive.

He looked at his grandmother speaking and noticed the tiredness on her face. How had he not seen this before? He hugged her really tight.

Mrs. Longbottom was startled by the sudden act of affection and patted him on the back. "There, there, I'll miss you too, Neville", she said, her voice softer than usual.

Neville was really grateful that she was there. Even though she could be mean at times, she had raised him with love and affection.

She held him by his shoulders and said, "I wish your parents were there to see you right now. You are a very good boy, Neville. I'm lucky to be your grandmother". Her eyes glistened with tears. However, the moment passed and she was back to remarking on his untidy demeanor and irresponsibility.

Neville rolled his eyes and climbed aboard the train, waving goodbye. He went and found an empty compartment at the end of the train.i

i 

_**There are a few things the readers should know:This is my first fan fiction and I am an amateur writer. Any reviews would be gladly accepted. I would like to re quest you all to keep patience with me. I will try my best to make my writing better.**_

_**Just to clear confusion: As we all know, the prophecy which caused all of Voldemort's actions pointed top either Harry or Neville. For his own reasons Voldemort decided that the boy was Harry, not Neville. My fan fiction explores a change in Voldemort's decision and its different consequences. This does not mean Harry's and Neville's lives have been swapped. **_

_**How did you like the farewells? **_

_**Tell me any couples you ship!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

NEVILLE

Neville is shaken from his thoughts as the compartment door slides open. He looks up to see a scrawny, black-haired bespectacled boy.

"Hey! Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked, looking at Neville expectantly.

"No. Not at all", he replied nervously.

He'd never really had any friends. His grandmother had always been protective, keeping him safe from the eyes of the public. He hardly ever even met people his own age. Now that he did, he had no idea what to do.

The boy sat opposite him and extended his hand.

"Well, I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

"I'm Neville Longbottom", said Neville shaking his hand.

"_THE_ Neville Longbottom?" asked Harry shocked.

"Uh…Maybe?"

"Can I see your scar?"

"Sure", Neville said pulling at the collar of his shirt to reveal a lightning shaped scar right under his collar bone.

"So cool!"

Neville grinned, glad to have impressed the boy. The door opened again and a stout woman wearing a uniform and driving a cart offered them something to eat. Neville's eyes fell on a box of Bertie Bott's. He remembered how he had once gotten a bug flavored bean and had instantly developed revulsion towards the candy. He decided to buy a chocolate frog just like Harry.

He got Frank and Alice Longbottom's card.

A striking pain hit him in the middle of both eyes. That's what happened whenever he saw their faces. He had known the whole day was building up to this moment; his grandmother's speech, all those mothers kissing their sons goodbye, the fathers ruffling their hair.

Now all he wanted to do was curl up and cry.


	4. Chapter 4- Hermione Granger

**CHAPTER 4**

HARRY

Harry watched as Neville turned pale.

He had been amazed to meet _THE_ Neville Longbottom. His sister Agnes was a huge fan and considered Neville a hero for having survived the killing curse. Though Harry never admitted it, he agreed with her.

Now, in front of his eyes, _THE_ Neville Longbottom looked like he was about to burst into tears. And throw up. Simultaneously.

"Neville, you alright?"

"Y-yeah!"

"You sure? You look a bit green there."

"Yeah! I-it's… I'm fine. Do you want some sandwiches? My grandmother made some."

"Sure! I've got crumpets!"

As they ate, they chatted away and things were soon back to normal. Worries were forgotten and Quidditch, houses and Hogwarts were being discussed. In the middle of their conversations, Trevor got lost and they got busy searching for him. They ended up on the floor laughing as they secured Trevor in Neville's rucksack.

They were interrupted by a girl entering the compartment and looking at them disgustedly.

"Excuse me. I'm Hermione Granger", she introduced herself."I'm searching for a rat named Scabbers. Ronald has lost him."

"Bloody Hell! It's like all the pets on this train are cursed!" Neville remarked.

Harry who was still giggling looked at her clearly now. She was about their age and had very bushy, brown hair and rather large teeth. He shook his head.

"Sorry. No idea. If we find we'll hand him over to you, Herom-"

"Hermione!" she corrected. "I'm sorry, I can't help but wonder, are you Neville Longbottom? You resemble Frank Longbottom", she said turning to Neville.

"Yes. Yes, I am" he replied, a little sadly.

"Well. It's great to meet you. Your parents were very brave". She turned to Harry, "And you are?"

"Harry Potter", Harry said, looking quite disheveled from all that rolling on the floor.

"Pleasure", she said, obviously not meaning it at all. "I've read about your parents. Your father is James Potter, the Auror? And your mother, she's the head of the Spell Damage Department, isn't she?"

"Yeah!" replied Harry, his chest swelling with pride.

"Oh! Look, I can see Hogwarts!" Neville exclaimed.

"We better change into our robes, then. Goodbye!" said Hermione, closing the door behind her.


	5. Chapter 5- The Sorting Hat

**CHAPTER 5**

NEVILLE

"Hagrid!", Neville shouted as he stepped off the train.

"Oh! You know Hagrid? My father knew him when he was in Hogwarts. He comes over for tea all the time", Harry said.

"Yeah, well, Dumbledore sends him to check in on us sometimes."

"Neville! Harry! So yeh both know each other?", Hagrid, a friendly, gentle half-giant, asked approaching them.

"Yeah! We met on the train"

"Well, come on then! Yeh have to get ter the boats, don't yeh? O'er here, first years, o'er here!"

They got onto a boat with another red-haired boy with freckles who was wearing worn-out robes.

"This is the Black Lake, isn't it?", Neville asked.

"Yeah! My father once told me a story where he and his friends were attacked by merpeople here and they fought them off even though they were outnumbered:, Harry replied.

"Well, is it true?", the red-haired boy asked, interested.

"My mum says they were actually screaming their heads off until a group of first-year girls nearby came and saved them", Harry said and the three boys laughed.

Soon they were standing in the Entrance Hall being organized into two straight lines by Professor McGonagall, a stern, old woman with spectacles, dressed in black and a long hat.

"You will be in your best behavior at all times. When your name is called you will sit on the stool and the Sorting Hat will be placed on your head. Whatever house the Hat calls out you will sit on the table assigned to that particular house. Now wait here a minute. I will be back", Professor McGonagall said as she disappeared into a room.

As soon as she left, chatter broke out. It was quieted by a piercing voice.

"So it _is_ true. Neville Longbottom_ has _come to Hogwarts", said a pale-skinned boy with cold, blue eyes and sleek, blonde hair. "I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy", he continued.

"Back off, Malfoy! Everyone knows your family served Voldemort himself", Harry said, triggering a spasm of gasps.

"You're a Potter, aren't you? I can see the resemblance with ugly James Potter. We all know he is all show and no game. Come on, Neville, you need to choose the right friends"

"I think I've made a good choice"

"As stupid as Potter you are"

The fight was about to turn ugly but just then Professor McGonagall walked in.

"What's all this noise for? Come on, we're entering the Great Hall now"

And the Neville walked into the most splendid room he had ever seen. The ceiling was enchanted with candles floating (as he heard Hermione Granger quoting it from _Hogwarts: a History_)and there were four long tables side-by-side. At the end of the room was another long table on which the teachers were seated. There, in the middle sat a man with whom he had communicated in the past but who never ceased to fascinate him: _Albus Dumbledore_.

Soon the sorting began. Professor McGonagall called out names from a scroll and the Hat (which was _SO_ cool) announced the house.

"Hannah Abbot"

The hat waited a few minutes before announcing, "Hufflepuff."

As children stepped forward, Neville drifted away. He was nervous about the sorting. As a toddler, Neville showed no signs of magic like other children did. His grandmother refused to believe her grandson was a Squib and took him on countless visits to St. Mungo's to check him up. Finally, at the age of seven, he showed a hint of magic.

He was in his room with his grandmother when she had to go downstairs to check on something. He climbed onto the windowsill, lost his balance and fell. But instead of hurting himself or dying, he just bounced and survived unscathed. His grandmother was amazed and even held a party out of sheer delight, inviting all the neighbors and family; something she never did.

The fact that he was in Hogwarts was enough for her. Gryffindor or not didn't matter. But he still wanted Gryffindor. He wanted to be like his father. However, with his inability to control magic like most kids his age, he'll probably end up in Hufflepuff.

Neville was startled as Harry nudged him forward. He could hear whispers as his name was called and as he walked towards the stool there was pin-drop silence. Even Dumbledore was more attentive. Everyone was holding their breaths.

"Neville Longbottom. So tough. So very tough. You have talent. Hidden talent, I can sense it. A bit too hidden, I'm afraid. There is so much Hufflepuff in you. But you'll do well in Gryffindor. You do have bravery, it just needs to come out. There is no Ravenclaw. At all. But just the teeniest portion of Slytherin. A part of you, which, if honed can take you places in Slytherin. I think you're meant for great things, Neville Longbottom. You have greatness in you. I will rule out Hufflepuff. Now, Slytherin or Gryffindor, the choice is yours."

"Gryffindor, of course", Neville thought.

"Then, GRYFFINDOR!", the Hat shouted as a table erupted in cheers.


End file.
